COLORIMETRIC ANALYZER WITH DE-BUBBLING
A colorimetric analyzer includes a reaction chamber configured to receive a sample and at least one reagent. A measurement cell is operably coupled to the reaction chamber. The measurement cell has an illumination source and an illumination detector spaced from the illumination source such that illumination from the illumination source passes through the reacted sample to the illumination detector. A controller is coupled to the illumination source and the illumination detector. The controller is configured to generate an analytic output based on a signal from the illumination detector. A fill conduit is operably interposed between the reaction chamber and the measurement cell. The fill conduit is configured to reduce bubbles.
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The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/942,252, filed Feb. 20, 2014, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDOnline wet chemistry analyzers are used in a variety of industries to provide a continuous indication of an analyte in a process sample. This continuous indication can be provided locally by the analyzer and/or remotely to one or more suitable devices in order to provide control and/or monitoring of a chemical process.
One particular example of an online wet chemistry analyzer is an online automatic colorimetric analyzer. Such devices are configured to generate a reaction in the process sample that creates a visual indication relative to the process sample. This visual indication is measured by an optical sensor or light detector in order to provide an indication relative to the reaction. One particular example of an automatic colorimetric analyzer is an online silica analyzer that employs a known reaction to render the silica in the process sample readily detectible. One example of such reaction is known as the molybdenum blue method. In the molybdenum blue method, molybdate (usually in the form of potassium molybdate) is used to react with silica in the process sample in order to generate a compound suitable for colorimetric detection. In accordance with the molybdenum blue method, the silica content in water is measured based on the color of the silicomolybdic acid formed through the wet chemistry process.
In online wet chemistry analyzers that utilize optical measurement techniques, it is important to facilitate an effective optical measurement. Aspects or properties of the sample that may interfere with the optical measurement that are not related to the presence or concentration of the analyte, generate measurement errors. Therefore, identifying and/or reducing such artifacts is beneficial in order to obtain higher precision and fidelity in optical colorimetric measurements.
SUMMARYA colorimetric analyzer includes a reaction chamber configured to receive a sample and at least one reagent. A measurement cell is operably coupled to the reaction chamber. The measurement cell has an illumination source and an illumination detector spaced from the illumination source such that illumination from the illumination source passes through the reacted sample to the illumination detector. A controller is coupled to the illumination source and the illumination detector. The controller is configured to generate an analytic output based on a signal from the illumination detector. A fill conduit is operably interposed between the reaction chamber and the measurement cell. The fill conduit is configured to reduce bubbles.
In automatic colorimetric analyzers, one of the challenges for analyzer design is the elimination of bubbles while filling the optical cuvette with sample. Any bubbles stuck to the wall of the cuvette will deflect light and thus affect the accuracy of the optical measurement. In accordance with various embodiments set forth below, the portion of the analyzer upstream of the optical cuvette is configured to reduce or eliminate the formation or presence of bubbles such that the sample that reaches the optical cuvette is substantially bubble-free.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, sample conduit 154 is formed or includes, at its inner diameter, a hydrophobic material. In some embodiments, conduit 154 may be formed entirely of a hydrophobic material. In other embodiments, sample fill conduit 154 may be formed of any material but provided with a hydrophobic layer at its internal diameter. While any particular hydrophobic material can be used, in one embodiment, conduit 154 is formed of a hydrophobic polymer. More particularly, the polymer may be Poly(methyl methacrylate). By providing a hydrophobic surface within sample fill conduit 154, the sample will trickle or otherwise flow down along the inside of sample fill conduit 154 before flowing into the optical cuvette. Any bubble in the sample solution will be eliminated or otherwise reduced by the hydrophobic surface within sample fill conduit 154 so that measurement cell 122 can be filled with bubble-free sample. As used herein, reducing bubbles is defined to mean reducing the formation or presence of bubbles in fill conduit 154. Accordingly, such bubble reduction eliminates at least some bubbles before the bubbles can reach measurement cell 122. This is important because if a bubble were to become trapped inside the optical cuvette, the bubble would deflect light from the measurement beam and interfere with the proper illumination detection.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A colorimetric analyzer comprising:
- a reaction chamber configured to receive a sample and at least one reagent;
- a measurement cell operably coupled to the reaction chamber, the measurement cell having an illumination source and an illumination detector spaced from the illumination source such that illumination from the illumination source passes through the reacted sample to the illumination detector;
- a controller coupled to the illumination source and the illumination detector, the controller being configured to generate an analytic output based on a signal from the illumination detector; and
- a fill conduit operably interposed between the reaction chamber and the measurement cell, the fill conduit being configured to reduce bubbles.
2. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 1, wherein the fill conduit has a hydrophobic inner surface.
3. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 2, wherein the hydrophobic inner surface is formed of a polymer.
4. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 3, wherein the polymer is Poly(methyl methacrylate).
5. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 1, wherein the fill conduit is disposed at a non-zero angle that is less than 90 degrees with respect to gravity.
6. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 1, wherein the fill conduit is formed entirely of a hydrophobic material.
7. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 6, wherein the fill conduit is formed entirely of Poly(methyl methacrylate).
8. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 1, and further comprising a peristaltic pump disposed between the reaction chamber and the fill conduit, wherein the peristaltic pump is configured to convey reacted sample into a sample inlet of the fill conduit.
9. The colorimetric analyzer of claim 1, wherein the colorimetric analyzer is a silica analyzer.
10. A method of operating a colorimetric analyzer, the method comprising:
- receiving a sample;
- conveying the sample and at least one reagent to a reaction chamber;
- de-bubbling the reacted sample;
- conveying the de-bubbled, reacted sample to a measurement cell;
- detecting illumination passing through the de-bubbled, reacted sample; and
- providing an analytic output based on the detected illumination.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein de-bubbling the reacted sample includes causing the reacted sample to contact a hydrophobic surface.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the contact is caused by the reacted sample flowing along a tilted fill conduit.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrophobic surface is a polymeric hydrophobic surface.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the polymer is Poly(methyl methacrylate).
15. The method of claim 10, and further comprising directing illumination from an illumination source through the reacted sample.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 19, 2015
Publication Date: Aug 20, 2015
Patent Grant number: 11125696
Applicant:
Inventors: Bradley A. Butcher (La Verne, CA), Chang-Dong Feng (Long Beach, CA)
Application Number: 14/626,050